Seashells and Secrets
by Milotic
Summary: Ash and his friends are taking a break at Lake Valor to participate in a water Pokemon festival, where they meet up with an old friend: Misty!  What is the secret she's hiding, though?  Contains AAML.
1. Chapter 1

Seashells and Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I do, however, own this story.

Chapter 1

Ash Ketchum polished his three badges, glancing at each one admiringly, before placing them back in their case. Winning the Coal Badge, Forest Badge, and Cobble Badge certainly had not been easy, but Ash had overcome each of the three gym leaders he had faced. He gently tucked the case into his backpack, beaming silently. He couldn't wait to show her.

"Ash, will you stop looking at those badges?" An irritated Dawn glared at Ash as he zipped up his backpack. "Your eyes are going to burn holes in them if you keep staring at them like that!"

Ash shot the blue-haired beauty a look that could kill. "If that's the case, your two ribbons must have melted by now!"

"Humph," was all Dawn could muster.

"Guys, knock it off," Brock, their older (and often more wise and composed) companion ordered.

"Well, she started it," Ash replied. Dawn could only sigh angrily.

The gang of three had just settled into a grand old hotel on the shores of Lake Valor, just outside of Pastoria City. After winning his first three badges, Ash had wanted to take a bit of a break before challenging Crasher Wake, the fourth gym leader in the Sinnoh region, where Ash and his friend Brock were traveling with Dawn. Because Dawn's next contest would not be held for quite a while, the group had some time to spare.

Ash stared dreamily off into space. He was feeling that feeling again, the one he got whenever he thought of his best friend Misty, the one he couldn't identify, couldn't understand. It was the strangest of feelings, one rooted deep within him and one that made him both giddy and anxious at the same time. It was a new feeling, and one he only experienced when he thought of Misty.

"Hello? Earth to Ash!" Dawn's voice roused Ash from his reverie.

"Huh? What?"

"You spaced out again. What, were you dreaming of your girlfriend Misty?" Dawn teased.

Ash couldn't control the small blush that passed over his face. So what if he was thinking of Misty? That didn't mean anything, and she certainly wasn't his girlfriend! Eww! What did he care about that mushy stuff?

"She's not my girlfriend! How many times do I have to tell you that?" Ash was becoming angry.

"Why do you keep talking about her, then?" Dawn interjected.

"Because she's my best friend and I haven't seen her in a long time! Isn't it OK to miss her?"

"Aww, Ash misses his girlfriend!" Dawn teased.

"Alright, Dawn, that's enough." Brock had reprimanded that young coordinator before Ash had a chance to defend himself.

"Thank you, Brock," Ash replied gratefully. "So, what time is Misty getting here tomorrow anyway?"

Dawn rolled her eyes while Brock explained that the water Pokemon festival being held at Lake Valor was starting at noontime and that Misty was supposed to arrive around eleven.

Oh, that was the real reason why Ash had wanted to take a break at this exact time and this exact location, although Ash would never tell his friends that. The aspiring Pokemon Master had done some research while training for the Veilstone gym and learned that a water Pokemon festival was going to take place at Lake Valor, and where there was water Pokemon there was Misty, leader of the Cerulean City gym in Ash's homeland of Kanto, water Pokemon lover, and Ash's best friend and former traveling companion. It just so happened that Ash and his friends would be near Lake Valor right around when the festival was slated to take place, so it only made sense to take part in it (so what if Ash currently had no water Pokemon on his team?), right?

Ash's hunch turned out to be right; he called his gym leader friend and learned that she had plans to travel to Sinnoh to attend the festival. Since the two had not seen each other for quite a while, and because they were the best of friends (nothing more, mind you), they agreed to meet up at Lake Valor.

"Alright, you two, I think it's time for us to go to bed. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow," Brock reminded his younger companions.

"My Piplup and Buizel are going to own this festival!" Dawn exclaimed happily.

"Not if my Totodile, Corphish, and Kingler compete!" Ash had obtained his old Johto, Hoenn, and Kanto Pokemon from Professor Oak's lab for the festival. As he thought about the battles he would be participating in the next day, the strange new feeling faded slightly, replaced by the familiar drive to win and do his best.

* * *

Ash awoke early the next morning, well before Brock and Dawn. The sun was just rising, and not a noise could be heard in the hotel. Ash dressed quietly, shushing Pikachu when the little mouse pokemon attempted to talk with him, being careful not to wake his sleeping companions.

He silently exited the hotel, heading towards his destination. As he approached the shops on the Lake Valor boardwalk, excitement filled him. Ash wasn't sure what had prompted him to buy Misty a gift, but once the idea had entered his head it had become stuck there. He hadn't seen her in so long, and he wanted to give her something special as a sign of his friendship (nothing more, mind you).

While walking towards the shops and thinking of Misty, Ash felt that familiar feeling once again. It instantly made him happy, but at the same time he felt slightly sick to his stomach. What was this feeling, anyway, and why did he experience it whenever he thought of Misty?

Ash couldn't give Misty just any old gift; he had spent over an hour looking when he finally spotted something that met his approval: a silver seashell pendent attached to a silver chain. He quickly paid for the item and made his way back to the hotel, hoping to arrive back at the room before Brock and Dawn awoke. There was no reason for his friends to know about the gift. It wasn't like he had anything to hide (Misty was just his friend, after all), but he knew he'd be teased relentlessly by Dawn and perhaps even Brock if they found out about his purchase.

"Do you think she'll like it, Pikachu?" Ash asked his yellow companion nervously.

"Pika!" Pikachu assured Ash by flashing him the victory symbol with its tiny fingers.

"Well, I hope you're right."

As Ash Ketchum approached the hotel, a smile made its way across his face. He was going to see Misty today.

* * *

Author's Note: I know I said that I'd have a new fanfic posted by mid or late May, so I'm sorry this is a little late. I completely blame Pokemon Pearl (the video game) for this.

I usually write angst, so this is new to me. I hope Dawn isn't out of character. I've only seen a few episodes of Pokemon DP, and they were in Japanese, so I didn't exactly know what she was saying. ; I have done a lot of research, though.

I'm sorry if the descriptions of being in love are, well, corny. I know they're probably incredibly cliché. Having never been in love myself, though, I only have what I know from reading books and watching TV to base them on.

Oh, in case you haven't figured it out, this takes place between Ash's third and fourth badge. I know he only has two badges right now. I also figured that Dawn would have two ribbons by this point. (Again, I know she only has one now.)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this fic. Review if you want to.


	2. Chapter 2

Seashells and Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I do, however, own this story.

Chapter 2

Misty, a tall, thin, fiery red-head with blue-green eyes, wandered aimlessly along the Lake Valor boardwalk. Yup, she was definitely lost. Where was she supposed to meet Ash, Brock, and Dawn again, anyway?

As she strolled along, Misty couldn't help but admire the view of the lake. Oh, how she loved the water! Just thinking about it made her giddy! How could she not love the water (and water Pokemon, of course), though, when she had grown up in a water Pokemon gym? The wind blew through her short hair, and she couldn't help but smile. She officially loved this place.

Of course, Misty loved nearly any place that wasn't the Cerulean City gym. It wasn't that she hated being a gym leader, although it was a lot of responsibility and often a lot of work (and she rarely had any help); she just hated being cooped up in one place all of the time. As someone who loved to travel and who did so quite frequently when she was younger, exploring many different regions with Ash, Misty often longed for the adventure that came with sleeping out under the stars.

There were also Misty's sisters to contend with. Sure, Daisy, Misty's oldest sister, had become nicer to her since she had returned home from her trip around the world with Lily and Violet, Misty's other sisters, but the younger two remained their bossy, teasing, semi-abusive selves. Getting away from her sisters, all three of whom were as obsessed with beauty and fashion as ever, things the "tomboyish mermaid" took no interest in, was always something to be grateful for.

Then there was Ash. Oh, how Misty had missed her best friend! Yes, he was still only her best friend, even though Misty had dreamed for years about him becoming something more...much more. Still, she could only dream, for Ash could never take interest in an ugly, scrawny, mean, bossy girl like herself, especially when he had more beautiful friends. Besides, he was too interested in Pokemon to care about romance. There was no hope, really.

Misty realized that she'd been walking in circles when she found herself at the same game stand that she'd been at fifteen minutes before. Just where was Ash? Before she could ponder this question further, Misty heard a very familiar voice.

"Misty!"

The young gym leader whirled around to find Ash, Brock, and a girl clad in pink and black (Dawn, she assumed) waving at her.

"Hey, Misty!" Ash's excited voice rang through the crowded boardwalk.

"Hey, Ash!"

Misty bounded toward her friend as he began approaching her. The two stopped inches away from each other, about to embrace, but each thought better of it. Ash awkwardly put his hands on Misty's arms, only to pull them away a second later. Both blushed.

"Ahem, aren't you forgetting someone, Misty?" a deep voice asked from behind Ash.

"Oh, hey, Brock! How are you?" Misty tore her glance from Ash's eyes to look at Brock, something Ash found oddly upsetting, although he didn't know why.

"I'm fine. How about you?"

"Oh, I'm alright," Misty replied. Suddenly she noticed the young girl dressed in pink and black looking at her. "You must be Dawn," she exclaimed happily.

"Yes, that's me," Dawn replied. A mischievous look spread across the coordinator's face. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Misty; I've heard so much about you!"

"You have?" This statement confused Misty. She figured Ash was too busy focusing on his Pokemon journey to ever really mention her to Dawn.

"Sure. Ash talks about you all of the time. Don't you, Ash?" Dawn smiled and winked at Ash.

"Hehe..." Sweat dropping, Ash nervously placed his hand behind his head, blushing and anxiously grinning. "Well, you know, Misty, seeing how you are a water Pokemon trainer and Dawn's, uh, really interested in water Pokemon...yeah, she has a Piplup and a Buizel..."

"Really! How cute! Can I see them?" Misty smiled happily at Dawn. The Pokemon coordinator rolled her eyes at Ash (luckily Misty didn't see), who breathed a sigh of relief. That had definitely been a close call.

As Misty cheerfully played with Piplup and Buizel (although Buizel was being its typical arrogant and unplayful self), Ash pondered what Dawn had said. Did he talk about Misty a lot? He didn't think that he did; why would he? After all, it wasn't as if he like liked Misty; sure, she was his friend, but nothing more, of course. Imagine, Misty as his girlfriend! Ash didn't believe in girlfriends, after all; they were disgusting. Then again, there was that feeling...

"Hey, Ash, are you ready for the water Pokemon tournament? Registration will end any minute now!" Misty's voice snapped Ash out of his thoughts. He suddenly forgot about the strange feeling, thinking only about winning the tournament.

* * *

"And then Lily said, 'like, I dunno, what is an encyclopedia, anyway, and how do I, like, look things up in it?'"

Everyone laughed at the punch line to Misty's joke. They had to agree, Misty's sisters were pretty stupid, especially Lily. The gang of four was having some laughs while enjoying some drinks at a local cafe when a voice rang out over a loudspeaker.

"Attention, everyone! Anyone who wants to participate in the water Pokemon tournament part of this year's water Pokemon festival must come to the stadium immediately! That is all. Thank you."

"Well, I guess that's our cue," Ash said excitedly, glancing at Misty, who looked equally pumped, and Dawn, who looked a little sick, as she was used to participating in Pokemon Contests, not battles.

The three friends said goodbye to Brock, who would be watching from the stands. Although Brock had two water Pokemon, a Ludicolo and a Marshtop, they were in the care of his brother and parents at the Pewter City gym, his home, so he would not be participating.

"I'm so going to win this tournament!" Ash cried haughtily.

"Typical Ash, always being so overly confident," Misty replied.

"Am not!"

"Are, too!"

"Am not!"

Before the argument could continue, however, the group heard an icy voice from behind them.

"Hello, Misty."

* * *

Author's Note: I am so, so sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter. I was away for two weeks and couldn't possibly write during that time. I hope that it won't take as long for me to upload chapter three, but with Harry Potter Fever going on, I can't promise anything. (I'm rereading all six books in anticipation for the last one. Then, of course, I'll have to read that one, too.)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's short, but the chapters of this story are supposed to be short. Reviews are always welcome. :)


	3. Chapter 3

Seashells and Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I do, however, own this story.

Chapter 3

Fear coursed through Misty's veins. Had she really heard what she thought she had heard? Surely it couldn't be him...

Bravely ignoring her apprehension, Misty slowly turned around. A tall, thin young man with blond hair and blue-green eyes faced her. He was smiling, but it was not a particularly happy smile. In fact, he looked rather agitated.

"Ben." Misty nodded curtly at the stranger.

"What, no hello? Aren't you happy to see me, dear Misty?" Ben inquired.

Misty didn't say anything. Instead, she looked away.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me to your companions?" Ben asked in a rather irritated voice.

"Oh...Ben, these are my friends Ash and Dawn. Ash and Dawn, this is my cousin Ben." Ash noticed that Misty sounded rather small and timid, quite unlike her usual self. She seemed, he thought, even a little anxious.

"Nice to meet you Ash and Dawn," Ben stated, but his voice did not carry an air of friendliness.

"So, Misty," Ben began, diverting his attention from Ash and Dawn, "are you here to enter the water Pokemon tournament? I suppose it will be me and you up against each other in the final round."

"Hey, for your information I plan on winning this tournament," Ash replied hotly. Just who did this guy think he was, anyway?

"Right. Well, I'll see you later, Misty." With that Ben walked away.

"Well, isn't he sure of himself?! He's so confident that he's going to win the tournament!" Ash was not at all pleased by the way this Ben character had acted.

"Yes, imagine that, someone who's overly confident and completely sure that he's going to win the tournament." Misty winked at Ash.

Ash, who felt his face growing rather hot (why did he always feel that way when Misty, and only Misty, teased him?), couldn't help but laugh. His laughter ended, however, when Dawn brought up a serious point, one he had been considering himself before his desire to beat Ben had gotten the best of him.

"Misty," Dawn began quietly, "you didn't seem very happy to see Ben. Why wouldn't you be pleased to see your cousin?"

"Yeah, Misty, what's going on?" Ash added.

"Oh, um, nothing. Why don't we head into the stadium? The tournament's about to start!"

Catching on to Misty's quick change of subject, Ash and Dawn followed Misty into the stadium without saying another word.

* * *

"Now ladies and gentlemen, we would like to commence with the thirtieth annual Lake Valor water Pokemon tournament!" The loud voice of the announcer rang through the stadium. Pikachu gave a loud "pika!" while waving its little fans while Dawn's Buneary clutched its pompoms, which matched the ones its owner often used while cheering on Ash at his gym battles, tightly to its chest. Brock smiled at the thought of his friends competing and wondered aloud which one would win, for he was sure one of the three would triumph.

Ash, Misty, and Dawn walked into the stadium with the rest of the competitors, Ash wearing his usual overly-confident and haughty look, Misty looking happy to be in her element, and Dawn, who was used to Pokemon contests, appearing rather nervous.

Dawn took part in one the first matches, which was against a blond young man who looked strangely familiar to Brock, and sent out her Piplup with as much confidence as she could muster. Her confidence quickly dissipated, however, when her handsome young opponent called out his Pokemon, an intimidating Empoleon. Piplup, who was shocked to see its final evolution, cowered in a corner until, with some encouragement from Dawn, it regained its courage.

Little Piplup fought bravely, but it was simply no match for the experienced and strong Empoleon, which took it out quickly with one Drill Peck. Dawn, shocked at what had just happened, called out Buizel, hoping against hope that her trump card would be strong enough to triumph.

The arrogant Buizel put up a stronger fight than Piplup, but it, too, was no match for Empoleon. The two Pokemon battled for quite some time, but Empoleon finished Buizel off with a powerful Flash Cannon, despite the determined water Pokemon's resistance to steel attacks.

Disappointed but not completely shocked, Dawn called back her Pokemon and conceded victory to the blonde young man, much to Brock's disappointment, although he had to admit that this guy was good.

Ash and Misty both got through the first round easily. While Misty made it through the second round without any problems and with relative ease, Ash, like Dawn, faced the sandy haired young man.

"You're going down, Ben!" Ash shouted so loudly that Brock could here him way up in the stands. Ben...now Brock knew why he recognized the young man...

Ash began by sending out his energetic little Totodile, who danced happily. Ben, on the other hand, called out a fearsome looking Walrein. If Ash felt any anxiety his face did not betray him; he appeared completely unperturbed by this turn of events and looked as confident as ever.

Ash ordered Totodile to perform a Water Gun attack, but Walrein, though large and heavy, avoided it easily. Ash had to admit that the Pokemon was well-trained. Walrein immediately shot back with a Fissure attack, which hit Totodile and knocked it out in one blow.

Ash still remained quite calm; after all, he still had two water Pokemon left. There was no way he was losing to this jerk Ben! He withdrew Corphis's Pokeball and sent it out, ordering it to give a Water Gun attack. Walrein fought back with a more powerful Surf, and the two continued to battle for some time, Walrein slightly overpowering Corphis's Water Guns with Surf, although Corphis held on. While Corphis was attempting to stave off Walrein's Surf with Water Gun, Walrein suddenly released an all-powerful Sheer Cold attack, which hit dead-on, knocking out Corphis.

Ash's nerves were beginning to get the best of him now; he only had one water Pokemon left. Also, how could this guy's Pokemon know two one-hit knock out attacks? He had to admit that Ben was strong, but he was still better. Besides, there was no way he was losing to Ben, not in front of Misty, anyway. Ash wasn't sure which was stronger, his desire to win simply because he wanted to win (and beating a jerk like Ben was certainly an added bonus) or his urge to prove to Misty that he was a capable and strong trainer, certainly more capable and strong than this cousin of hers. That weird feeling he felt whenever he thought of Misty was quite strong now.

Ash sent out Kingler, arguably his strongest water Pokemon, to face Walrein, determined not to lose in front of Misty (not that he was trying to impress her—why would he be?). He immediately ordered Kingler to attack with Crabhammer and, much to his surprise, Walrein did not fight back. Instead, Walrein simply remained where it was, taking each Crabhammer attack in stride. Confused, Ash continued to order Kingler to perform Crabhammer.

Suddenly, without warning, Ben shouted at Walrein to Body Slam Kingler and, much to the horror of Ash and Brock, it was the strongest Body Slam attack either had ever seen; it immediately knocked out Kingler. Neither knew what had happened, until it dawned on Brock; Walrein had used Curse, biding its time and building its power until it could unleash a full-out attack. Ash, however, remained shocked and confused and, cursing under his breath, withdrew Kingler. He hoped that Misty hadn't seen the match and regretted his earlier words of confidence that he would win. Embarrassed, he realized he had made a fool of himself in front of Misty, and for some odd reason this greatly upset him.

Both Misty and Ben performed beautifully, and soon the final match had arrived and the two cousins were to face each other. The rules for the final match were a little bit different, the announcer told the audience; each competitor could only use one Pokemon.

Thinking hard, Misty pondered which Pokemon to use. Sure, Gyarados was easily her strongest Pokemon, but it was also part flying, making it rather weak to ice attacks, which water Pokemon often carry. Suddenly it dawned on Misty. She had a plan.

Ben confidently pulled out his chosen Pokeball. "So, Misty, are you ready to lose?" he asked the fiery redhead.

"Not on your life," she shot back. There was no way she was losing to Ben. She was going to prove to Ash that she was the strongest water Pokemon trainer once and for all; then maybe he would take interest in her; then maybe he would grow to like her the way she liked him; then maybe he would even love her. Besides, there was perhaps a lot more at stake than simply winning or her pride or looking good in front of Ash at this match...

Ben threw his Pokeball, releasing an elegant Milotic, which many consider the most beautiful Pokemon in existence. Awed by the Pokemon's appearance and amazed that Ben could possess a Pokemon so lovely, Misty could only stare for a while. Then she remembered where she was and what she was supposed to be doing and slowly came to her senses.

"Misty chooses Starmie!" A purple star-shaped Pokemon emerged from Misty's Pokeball.

"Milotic, use Hydro Pump!"

"Starmie, avoid the attack and use Psychic!"

Starmie successfully avoided Milotic's Hydro Pump and used its psychic powers to trap Milotic. It looked like Starmie was going to win, but Milotic suddenly broke free from the psychic prison. Still, the damage had been done, or so Misty thought...

"Milotic, use Recover!"

Misty watched in horror as Milotic simply shrugged off the damage Starmie's Psychic attack had done. She had not counted on Recover, despite the fact that it was an attack Milotic were known to carry and that she often employed it with her own Corsola.

There was only one thing she could do. She had to knock it out in one hit.

Before Misty could react Milotic had hit Starmie with a strong Ice Beam attack. She had to act now.

"Starmie, use Thunder!"

This was Misty's surprise attack. No one would expect a water Pokemon to know an electric attack, but her Starmie had learned Thunder, the most powerful attack of its kind. The audience gasped with surprise after Misty ordered the attack and Brock smiled in delight, knowing that Milotic wouldn't stand a chance.

The attack hit Milotic square-on, and Misty watched as the Pokemon struggled to regain its composure, praying that it wouldn't. Much to her relief, Milotic fainted and the judge declared it unfit to battle. Misty was the winner.

She couldn't believe it. She had actually won. A small smile spread across her face, which quickly turned into a grin. Not only had she won, but she had defeated Ben. Looking for his familiar face to see his reaction, Misty found that he had already sulked out of the stadium. Oh well. No big loss there.

As the announcer presented her with a large trophy, Misty glanced over to see Ash, Brock, and Dawn happily running toward her. Before he could stop himself, Ash had hugged Misty in congratulations. He saw Dawn flash him an "I told you so" look and quickly let go, blushing furiously. Still, he hadn't hugged Misty because he like liked her, right? He was just so happy she had won!

"Misty, you did great!"

"Thanks, Ash!"

Misty had won. Ash had hugged her. She was on top of the world.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter. Harry Potter fever definitely took over. I reread the first three books and then couldn't help myself and went ahead and read the seventh. Now I've gone back and am rereading four, five, and six. Still, I thought I could take some time off to work on this story.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. It really means a lot to me. You can always review again if you want to, and if you haven't reviewed yet, well, I'm not going to stop you. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

Seashells and Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I do, however, own this story.

Chapter 4

Ash, Misty, and Dawn sat at a booth in the local Pokemon Center, enjoying a victory dinner Nurse Joy had prepared for them. After a few failed attempts at flirting with the Pokemon nurse and following a swift kick in the behind from Croagunk ("Wow! It's even better at controlling Brock than I am," Misty had marveled), a defeated Brock joined them. The four friends talked happily over their meal, marveling at Misty's victory and skill.

"Misty, you were really awesome," Dawn stated with excitement. "It was really smart to teach Starmie Thunder."

"Well," Misty replied, trying to sound modest, "I knew I would be up against other water Pokemon in this tournament, and one of their biggest weaknesses is electric attacks, so I figured I would have the upper hand if I taught one of my Pokemon one, and it just so happens that both Starmie and Gyarados are two of the few water Pokemon that can learn electric attacks."

"Wow, Misty, who knew you were so smart?" Ash teased.

"What do you mean, Ash? Of course I'm smart!"

"Well, maybe, but not as smart as me," Ash provoked.

"Am, too!"

"Are not!"

"Am, too!"

"Are not!"

"Sorry to interrupt, but I didn't realize that I was at a married couples' convention. Do you two always fight like this?" a now familiar icy voice asked.

"Yup, they're always like this, Ben," Brock stated, trying to achieve an air of friendliness, although his glance towards Ben, which was more like a glare, betrayed him.

Ben didn't reply. Ignoring Brock, he turned to face Misty.

"Misty," he said simply.

"Yes, Ben?" Misty replied, trying to sound polite and welcoming, though, like Brock's, her face gave away how she was really feeling.

"I was wondering if I could have a moment alone with you, Misty, to, um, discuss certain things."

Ash noticed that Misty looked slightly panicked and wondered why.

"I don't think so Ben. I'm really tired and I think I'd like to go to bed," Misty stated in what was obviously an attempt at a firm, strong voice, but Ash immediately noticed how timid she seemed, how unlike her usual self she seemed.

"Fine, then. We will talk some other time, though." With that, Ben walked away.

Ash turned toward Misty to make a comment about what a jerk her cousin was, but noticed she had tears in her eyes. Misty almost never cried.

"Misty, what's wrong?" Ash asked, gently rubbing her shoulder without thought until he realized what he was doing and quickly pulled away. He had the strongest desire to comfort Misty, to make her feel better. What would make him touch her like that? What would make him feel the need to comfort her? It must have been because they were best friends; yes, that was it.

"Huh? Oh, nothing." It appeared as though Misty had been in her own world and that Ash's words and gesture had just snapped her back into reality. "I'm really tired and I think I'll go to bed."

"Misty, wait..." Ash began, walking towards his friend who was making her way to one of the Pokemon Center's bedrooms, but Brock grabbed him before he could continue.

"Let her go," Brock stated quietly.

"Why? I want to make sure she's OK." Ash was becoming angry and irritated with Brock.

"She'll be fine. She just needs some alone time right now."

"Brock," Dawn suddenly interjected, "why does this Ben guy make Misty so upset?"

"Yeah, Brock, why is he such a jerk? What's his deal?" Ash added.

"Huh?" Brock looked slightly flustered. "What? Um, how should I know? I don't even know this Ben guy!"

"What? Yes, you do. You addressed him as Ben when he approached us just now. We had never mentioned him or his name before, so it's obvious that you already knew him," Dawn stated wisely.

"Uh, yeah, that's right!" Ash added rather lamely. It was obvious that he hadn't picked up on the same clues as Dawn until she mentioned them.

What was Brock going to do? Dawn's memory was just too good.

"Uh, well, you know, I've just heard of him in passing."

"What do you mean by 'you've heard of him in passing?' What, is he famous or something?" Dawn pressed.

"I only know him because his family runs the Seafoam Island Pokemon gym and that's all I know!" Brock stated hastily.

"That's not all you know, Brock. You obviously know why Misty's upset or else you would have let Ash go after her to see if she was OK." Dawn stated.

"OK! OK! Maybe I know why she's upset and maybe I know how Ben's involved in it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to tell you!" Brock replied, almost yelling.

"Please Brock, please tell us," Dawn begged.

"No, I won't," the breeder-in-training sated firmly.

"Brock, you have to tell us; you just have to."

There was something about the way Ash said this that made Brock change his mind, or maybe it was the sad look on the future Pokemon Master's face as he implored Brock to tell them about Misty and Ben.

"Well, OK, but you can't let Misty know that I told you," Brock stated in a defeated sort of way.

"Done!" Ash and Dawn shouted happily in unison.

"OK. Misty's mother and Ben's mother were sisters," Brock began.

"What do you mean 'were' sisters?" Ash interrupted.

"I'm getting to that! Will you let me tell the story!?" Brock yelled. "Anyway, as I was saying, Misty's mother and Ben's mother were sisters. Both were well known water Pokemon trainers in the Kanto region. Rose, Misty's mother, was the leader of the Cerulean City gym, and Shelly, Ben's mother, was the leader of the Seafoam Islands gym.

"Both sisters were invited to go on a sea expedition to search for a map that was supposed to tell the whereabouts of a certain stone that would allow its owner to control all water Pokemon. Shelly really didn't want to go on the journey, but Rose thought it was a great idea and convinced her sister to join her on it.

"Each sister left a husband and young children behind when she left on the journey. The crew successfully found the map, but encountered a storm on their way back to land. Everyone on the journey drowned."

"You mean Misty's mother drowned, too?" Ash asked stupidly.

"Obviously, Ash; he said that 'everyone' drowned!" Dawn replied hotly.

"Will you two let me finish the story?! Anyway, Ben's mother, Shelly, had quite a large amount of money left to her name, and before leaving for the journey she had said that the money would be split between her family and Rose's family if anything were to happen to the two sisters.

"Well, Shelly's family didn't like that very much. They blamed Rose for Shelly's death because they believed that Rose had forced Shelly to go on the journey. Because of this, they refused to give any of the money to Rose's family.

"Things became pretty desperate for Rose's family; they had little money. One day, unable to take the stress anymore, Rose's husband ran off, leaving behind four young daughters to take care of themselves."

"Who were the four young daughters?" Ash asked dumbly.

"Duh, Ash, they were Misty and her three sisters," Dawn replied, rolling her eyes.

"Anyway," Brock continued, glaring at Ash and Dawn for interrupting him, "the two families have hated each other ever since. Shelly's family blames Rose's family for Shelly's death and Rose's family blames Shelly's family for the fact that Rose's husband left. That's why Ben and Misty dislike each other, and I imagine that's why meeting Ben made Misty so upset; it brought up the painful memories of losing her parents."

"Wow. No wonder Misty never talks about her parents," Ash stated glumly.

"Just one more question, Brock," Dawn began. "You said that the crew found the map; what happened to it?"

"Well, Dawn, no one really knows for sure, but the rumors in the papers, and they were just rumors, were that the crew had sent it back to the gym in Cerulean City. I imagine that's why Ben wanted to talk to Misty tonight; he probably thinks she has the map and wants it for himself."

"Do you think Misty has the map, Brock?" Ash asked.

"I really don't know, Ash," Brock replied. "I suppose she could. Then again, her sisters could have the map, too, or it could have never been sent to Cerulean at all."

"What a sad story," Dawn stated simply.

"Well, I know one thing," Ash began. "I'm not going to let this Ben guy harass Misty into giving him the map, especially after what his family did to Misty's. How could they let Misty's family become so poor that her father ran off?"

"Ash, you don't even know that Misty has the map," Brock stated wisely.

"I don't care if Misty has the map or not! I want Ben to leave her alone! Can't you see how much pain he's causing her?"

"I know that, Ash, but I'm not sure that starting a fight with Ben is a good idea," Brock replied.

"Who said I was going to start a fight with Ben? I just want to tell him to leave Misty alone!"

"OK then, but I'm not going with you," Brock stated firmly.

"Fine. You'll come with me, right, Dawn?"

Dawn opened her mouth to say "no," but thought better of it as Ash glared at her and nodded her head instead.

"OK! Ready, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" The little mouse Pokemon replied happily.

"Let's go!"

There was no way Ash was going to let Ben cause Misty anymore pain. He simply couldn't bear to see her hurting.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter; I seem to be writing this story rather slowly. I'm still rereading the Harry Potter books; I'm half way through five right now.

To answer Nick Johnson's questions: 1) Hopefully you can tell what this fic's about by now. 2) Lake Valor. 3) This takes place while Ash is traveling in Sinnoh with Brock and Dawn. It's supposed to be in between Ash's third and forth badge. 4) However old everyone in the anime is. I would guess Ash and Misty are around fourteen or fifteen, and that Brock's a little older and that Dawn's a little younger. 5) Ash, Brock, and Dawn own their current Sinnoh Pokemon, and Ash also uses Kingler, Totodile, and Corphish. You'll see which Pokemon Misty has soon!

I hope all the back story wasn't too boring. It was necessary for this chapter, though.

Please review this story if you like it; review even if you don't like it! I really like getting reviews:)


	5. Chapter 5

Seashells and Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I do, however, own this story.

Chapter 5

Misty sat with her head in her hands, crying quietly. She had been looking forward to this water Pokemon festival for some time, and now Ben had come and ruined everything. Why did she have to run into him here? Why did he have to ask to talk to her? Why did she have to have such bad luck?

Things weren't all bad, though, she had to remind herself. She had won the tournament, which had been a great feeling. She was also spending time with Ash, Brock, and Dawn, which made her happy (especially because she got to spend time with Ash!).

There was also the way Ash had been acting. Why was he being so nice to her? First there was their awkward near-embrace when they had first met up on the boardwalk; then there was the hug he had given her when she had won the tournament; now he had rubbed her shoulder and seemed concerned when she had been upset. Why was Ash acting that way; surely he couldn't feel the same way about her that she felt about him? No, he was too obsessed with Pokemon to care about her as more than a friend. There was no hope, really.

Misty sighed, her sobs abating. Just how long had she been in love with Ash for? It seemed like it had been forever. How long was she going to wait for him? Maybe it was time to give up...

Misty slowly pulled a tattered piece of parchment out of her bag. Was it true what they said about this map? Did it really give the location of a powerful stone that could control all water Pokemon? It seemed thoroughly useless to her; she couldn't even understand the ancient markings on it herself. It couldn't be worthless, though; why else would her sisters insist that she, who traveled frequently, keep it with her, instead of holding it themselves at the gym where, they said, it could easily be stolen?

She really didn't care if the map had its uses or not, honestly; she hated the stupid thing. It was because of this map that she lost her mother and, ultimately, her father, too; it was because of this map that she and her cousins, with whom she had once been so close, no longer got along; it was because of this map that her life (at least her life prior to meeting Ash) had been so difficult.

Now it was because of this map that Ben wanted to talk with her; she was sure of it. Why else would he want to bother her? Surely he wanted the map and thought that she had it.

Maybe she would just give the stupid thing to him! She hated it, after all! Then again, her sisters had trusted her with the map, and she felt as though she would be letting her dead mother down if she were to simply give it away, especially because she didn't even know if Ben's intentions were good.

"Why does everything in my life have to be so confusing?"

* * *

Ash and Dawn walked along Lake Valor's boardwalk, Ash setting a fast pace and Dawn struggling slightly to keep up. (Pikachu had to practically run to match its master's swift gait.) Ash was determined to give this Ben guy a piece of his mind. How dare he make Misty cry? Ash wasn't sure why, but for some reason seeing Misty cry had really unnerved him, had really made him upset; watching it had been almost painful for him. He didn't want her to hurt in any way. Why, though, did Misty's tears affect him the way they did? They never had before. Maybe he and Misty were becoming even closer friends, something Ash hadn't even imagined possible, but he supposed anything could happen. Then again, there was also that feeling...

"Ash, look!"

Ash whipped around, wondering why Dawn had chosen to interrupt his (very important) thought sequence, when he noticed her pointing at a tall sandy-haired young man with eyes just like Misty's.

"Ben..." he muttered under his breath.

Slowly he approached Ben, who was facing the opposite direction, and tapped him on the shoulder. Ben whirled around, a look of surprise on his face, which quickly disappeared as he composed himself.

"Ash, just the person I wanted to see," Ben stated in an oddly friendly and cheerful voice.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash was seriously confused by this.

"Never mind. Listen, I need to ask you a question about dear Misty."

"Ask away...and she's my dear Misty, not yours," Ash replied hotly, unaware of what exactly he had said until he saw Dawn raise an eyebrow, which caused him to realize his statement and blush furiously.

"Right. Anyway, Ash, I was wondering if you've ever, um, seen Misty carrying an old looking piece of parchment," Ben replied coolly.

"If you're talking about the map, I haven't seen it...not that I would tell you if I had anyway! I don't even know if she has it or not! Besides, you're the last person I would tell if I knew anything about it because of the way you and your family have treated Misty! How could you be so cruel to her family? I don't want you to ever bother her again! Stay away from her! Understand me?!" Ash finished with a flourish.

"Quite frankly, I don't think what goes on between my family and Misty's family is any of your business, Ash. You should stay out of things that don't concern you," Ben replied, keeping his composure.

"It does concern me, though; Misty's my best friend, and anything that upsets her upsets me, too!"

"How touching. How about we battle? If you win, I promise to leave Misty alone."

"Fine. Go, Pikachu!"

Pikachu leapt from behind its master, ready to fight.

"Alright. I choose Gastrodon!"

A blue and green Gastrodon emerged from Ben's Poekball, taking Ash by surprise. How could Pikachu possibly win against Gastrodon? Its electric attacks would be useless.

"Uh, Dawn?" Ash began. "Do you, um, have any of your Pokemon with you? All of my others are resting at the Pokemon Center."

"Sorry Ash, but mine are all being healed at the Pokemon Center, too," Dawn replied.

"Aww, poor Ash. It looks like he doesn't stand a chance!" Ben teased.

"You're wrong, Ben. Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Pikachu sped towards Gastrodon, but the East Sinnoh Pokemon easily dodged the attack.

"Gastrodon, use your most powerful Earthquake!" Ben commanded.

Neither Pikachu nor Ash had a chance to react before the attack hit, rendering the small electric mouse Pokemon unconscious.

Nothing, however, was more surprising than what happened next. Two young men wearing strange uniforms appeared and grabbed Pikachu and placed it in a glass case very similar to the one Team Rocket often used when they captured Pikachu. Ben snapped his fingers, and the two men tied Ash and Dawn together, leaving both trainers unable to move.

"Just what do you think you're doing?! What's going on here?!" Ash yelled.

"It's like I said, Ash; you were just the person I wanted to see. Since Misty won't cooperate with me, I'm going to make her cooperate with me," Ben replied.

"You leave Misty alone!" Ash begged.

"I'm not going to do anything to Misty, so don't worry. She'll come on her own accord once she finds out that I have her dear little Ash."

"Jerk," Ash spat.

"Just what do you want the map for, anyway?" Dawn interjected.

"Team Galactic's business is none of yours," Ben answered.

"Team Galatic?" Ash questioned.

"Don't you fools know anything?! Team Galatic is only the most powerful organization in Sinnoh! With the map we'll be able to locate the stone that will allow us to control all water Pokemon, including the all-powerful Palkia."

"You'll never get away with this," Ash stated hotly.

"Watch me," Ben began. "Gentlemen, please load our prisoners into the boat. We'll set off for the island in the middle of the lake at once."

* * *

Brock was beginning to get worried. Ash and Dawn had left to confront Ben hours ago. Had Ben given them trouble? Feeling uneasy, Brock decided to check the bedroom the group was staying in to see if perhaps his two friends had returned and gone straight to bed without him knowing.

To his horror (although not to his surprise), Brock found only a sleeping Misty in the bedroom. Debating with himself, he decided that the situation was dire enough that he needed to wake the sleeping red-head and ask her for her help.

"Misty?" he stated, shaking his friend awake.

"Huh? Brock? Where are Ash and Dawn?"

"I don't know. They left to ask Ben not to bother you anymore," Brock replied.

"They did what?"

"I know, Misty; I told them it wasn't a good idea."

"We have to find them!"

With that, the two gym leaders left the Pokemon Center to look for their friends.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's a chapter for you in record time! I want to get this story finished before I go back to school in early September, and there's two chapters left after this one, so I figured it would be good to pick up the pace a little!

I've been trying to follow Pokemon DP as it's been airing in Japan, but I'm not sure if Ash and company know who Team Galactic is yet in the anime. For the sake of this story they don't.

I found a couple of mistakes in the pervious chapter, but I think I've fixed them all.

I must admit that I'm a little bit sad; chapter four only got three reviews. :( I know people are reading this story because I can tell by looking at the "stats" application when I log in, so I'm not really sure why I'm not getting any reviews. Is the story really that bad? Even if it is, let me know! I appreciate constructive criticism. (Of course, I appreciate good reviews, too!) Anyway, I don't want to force people to review or anything if they don't want to, but I really do enjoy getting them (like any writer, I imagine).


	6. Chapter 6

Seashells and Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon; I do, however, own this story.

Chapter 6

Misty and Brock rushed along the Lake Valor boardwalk, looking for a sign of Ben, Ash, and Dawn.

"Do you think Ben's hurting Ash and Dawn?" Misty asked in a worried voice.

"I don't know, Misty; you know you're cousin better than I do," Brock replied.

"Well, Ben always has been rather mean, even when we were children and our families still got along. I don't know, Brock! I'd like to think that he wouldn't hurt anyone because he's my cousin, but I'm not sure anymore. I just want to find Ash and Dawn," Misty finished desperately.

"I know, Misty. We'll find them, so try not to worry."

"OK."

How could she not worry, though? Ash and Dawn had gone looking for Ben because she had been upset, so if something were to happen to them it would be her fault. She shouldn't have cried like that, shouldn't have let on that she was distressed, shouldn't have run off to her room. How could she not blame herself? Besides, if anything were to ever happen to Ash…

Brock and Misty looked for signs of their friends for what seemed like a very long time, asking everyone they came across if they had seen them. Finally, they got a lead.

They had asked the owner of the boat rental shop about their friends, and he admitted that a sandy-haired youth had taken one of his boats. The owner had refused to lend a boat to the young man because two of his companions had been (very suspiciously) tied up, but he had been overpowered by the trainer's Gastrodon.

"Ben had Ash and Dawn tied up?! What's he doing to them?" Misty wondered in horror.

"We had better try to find them quickly, Misty," Brock responded.

"Right. Let's go."

The owner of the boat rental shop graciously allowed to the two gym leaders to borrow a boat, and the pair set sail on Lake Valor.

Ash, Dawn, Ben, and the two Galactic grunts arrived at the island in the middle of Lake Valor. Ben hastily pushed his two hostages out of the boat, shoving them along.

"Ouch! Dawn, that was my foot!"

"Sorry, Ash, but I can't help it; it's hard to walk when you're tied to someone else!"

"Will you two shut up already?" Ben snarled.

The gang arrived in a clearing in the middle of the island. At this point Ben stopped and sat down, still clutching Pikachu's glass case, much to the surprise of Ash and Dawn.

"What now?" asked Ash.

"Now we wait."

Brock and Misty sailed along Lake Valor, willing the boat to travel as fast as it could. After sailing for some time they spotted an island in the distance.

"Brock, look there! I'll bet that's where Ben has Ash and Dawn!"

"You're probably right, Misty," Brock replied.

Brock and Misty docked the boat on the island, which appeared to be deserted. Brock began to step out of the boat, but, to his surprise, Misty stopped him.

"What are you doing, Misty? I thought we were going to go together!"

"Someone has to stay here to watch the boat to make sure if doesn't drift away," Misty began. "Besides…I think this is something I have to do alone."

Misty began to trek through the island, walking for what seemed like forever, until she came across a clearing where she spotted Ben, Ash, and Dawn and two men she didn't know. Feeling slightly panicked because she only had two Pokemon on her, Gyarados and the useless Psyduck (Corsola, Starmie, Politoad, and Luvdisk where resting at the Pokemon Center because she had used them in her matches in the water Pokemon tournament), Misty decided to hide for awhile and watch Ben and the others. Unfortunately, she happened to step on a particularly crunchy twig, scaring the nearby Pidgey and making quite a noise.

"Misty, how nice of you to join us," Ben stated happily.

"Ben, untie them at once and let Pikachu go!"

"Uh uh uh, I don't think so, Misty. I believe you have something I want; perhaps we can make a little compromise."

"Well, Ben, I believe you have something I want," Misty exclaimed, blushing furiously. (Ash, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the fact that she was referring to him and sat there wondering what Misty meant.)

"I know that, Misty; that's why I think we can perhaps make a little trade."

"I don't think so. You don't even know if I have the map."

"Misty, if you do have it don't give it to him!" Ash shouted.

"Well, I guess there's one way to find out. You two seize her!" Ben ordered.

The two Galactic grunts lunged towards Misty, who avoided them. They then proceeded to withdraw two Pokeballs, each releasing a Carvanha.

The two Carvanhas sped towards Misty, but she released her powerful Gyarados and ordered it to perform a Thunderbolt attack, which rendered the two Pokemon unconscious.

"You incompetent idiots! Can't you do anything right? I guess I'll have to take care of this on my own. Go, Gastrodon!"

A green and blue Gastrodon suddenly materialized.

"Gastrodon, use Muddy Water!"

"Gyarados, avoid the attack!"

Gyarados successfully avoided the attack, although it missed by mere inches.

"Gyarados, use Dragon Rage!"

Gyarados whipped up a powerful storm, catching Gastrodon off-guard. The East Sinnoh Pokemon took a fair amount of damage.

"That's it, Gyarados! Now finish it off with your most powerful Hyper Beam!"

The attack hit dead-on, and it appeared as though Gastrodon had fainted. Ben, however, had the same familiar trick up his sleeve.

"Gastrodon, use Recover!"

The Pokemon became enveloped in a magical aura, regaining its strength. Misty was at a loss. She had to take out Gastrodon in one hit like she had done with Milotic, but Hyper Beam, Gyarados's most powerful attack, wasn't doing the trick. Thunderbolt wouldn't work either because Gastrodon was part ground. Seeing that there was no way she could win, Misty did the only thing she could think of. She pulled the map out of her bag.

"I knew you'd see it my way, Misty," Ben stated, grinning evilly. "Now, just hand me the map and no one will get hurt."

Misty began to approach Ben, acting as though she were going to hand him the map. Suddenly, while murmuring "Forgive me, Mom," Misty ordered Gyarados to perform Flamethrower, throwing the map into the flames and forever destroying it.

"You're going to pay for that!" Ben yelled angrily, beginning to run towards Misty in a blind rage.

Thinking quickly, Misty recalled Gyarados, managed to grab Pikachu from Ben, and ran towards Ash and Dawn, who were still tied together. Holding on to them, she released Psyduck and ordered it to perform Teleport, and the duck Pokemon, sensing the immediacy of the situation, actually did what it was told.

They were going back.

Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter. I didn't get a chance to work on it before school started, and I've been super busy since coming back to school; this semester's been busier than any other semester so far. It doesn't help that the chapter isn't very good, either. I apologize for that. I'm also sorry that this chapter is so short.

I know Psyduck doesn't actually learn Teleport, but neither does Toegpi, and it still performed Teleport in the anime once during the Orange Islands season. Since this story follows the anime more closely than the games, I figured it would be OK to bend the rules a little and have Psyduck use Teleport.

I know there wasn't much romance in this chapter, but I promise that there will be plenty of AAML in the next one.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story. I really appreciate it. :)


	7. Epilogue

Seashells and Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I do, however, own this story.

Epilogue

Everyone was resting safely at the Pokemon Center. The group had successfully teleported back to Brock, who had used the boat to get them back to the Lake Valor shore.

Ash, Misty, Brock, and Dawn were all enjoying a warm meal. After finishing, they sat in silence, reflecting on the events that had just occurred. Suddenly, Ash interrupted the quiet.

"Misty, can I talk to you privately for a moment?"

"Sure, Ash."

Ignoring Dawn's "Awe," Ash and Misty slipped away from the table and entered the bedroom the group was sharing.

"So, Ash, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Um, well...I guess I was just wondering why you never told me about your parents."

A small "Oh" escaped Misty's lips.

"I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Ash added hastily.

"No, it's OK, Ash. I guess it was just too painful; I didn't want to think about it. Besides, I was...embarrassed," Misty finished.

"Why were you embarrassed?" A puzzled look made its way across Ash's face.

"Well, I guess because I didn't want anyone to know that my father had left us. I mean, I know it was our circumstances that led him to do so, but it's still embarrassing somehow to think that our own father had just up and left us."

"I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of," Ash stated in a small voice.

"Why not?"

"Well, because my father did the same thing," Ash finished timidly.

Misty stared at him blankly.

"When my father found out that my mother was pregnant with me, he walked out on us," Ash stated simply.

"Oh, Ash, I didn't know. I didn't mean to imply..."

"No, it's OK, Misty. Like you said, you didn't know."

"Wow, Ash. I never knew. That must have been so difficult for you."

"It was, at least when I was little. I always wondered why I didn't have a father like Gary and the other kids. Of course, Mom waited until I was older to tell me why, and I was so angry for a time that I hated my father for leaving me and Mom. Over time, though, my hatred abated because I realized how lucky I was to have such a special mother who loved me so much. I can't imagine how painful things must be for you, Misty, without a mother or a father," Ash finished.

Misty looked away. She didn't want Ash to see the tears that were forming in her eyes. It was too late, though; he had already noticed them.

Ash had been sitting on the bed across from Misty's and slowly made his way towards hers, sitting down next to her. He gently put his arm around her, moving delicately to make sure she was comfortable with it. Instead of flinching like he had imagined she would, Misty leaned against Ash.

"It's just so hard, Ash. I lost my mother and my father, and my sisters don't really care about me. It's like I have no one."

"That's not true, Misty. You have me," Ash stated softly, as if he were embarrassed (and he was—had Misty seen his face, she would have noticed the faint blush across it).

"Thanks, Ash. You're a great friend."

"Well, it's easy to be a great friend to you, Misty."

Now it was Misty's turn to blush.

"Oh, before I forget, I have something for you," Ash began. The funny feeling he had been experiencing was at its strongest, almost making him sick, but he figured it was now or never.

"Hmm? What, Ash?"

Ash slowly reached into his bag and pulled out a small box, overwhelmed by the strange feeling.

"Here. It isn't much, but I wanted to give you something to thank you for being my friend and to remind you of me when we're far away from each other. Go ahead, open it," Ash finished lamely.

Misty could hardly believe her eyes. Inside the box was the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. A silver seashell pendent was attached to a dainty silver chain.

"Oh, Ash, it's perfect!" Misty exclaimed, hugging him. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, Misty," Ash stated, blushing. He felt as if the funny feeling was going to make him explode, but somehow he also liked it.

* * *

It was time for Misty to head back to Cerulean City and to say goodbye to Ash, Brock, and Dawn.

"Bye, Misty," Dawn began. "It was nice meeting you!"

"Bye, Dawn. It was nice meeting you, too. Look after Ash and Brock for me!"

"Bye, Misty," Brock exclaimed, offering his hand.

"Bye, Brock. Take care! Don't flirt too much!"

"Well, Misty, you know I can't promise you that," Brock stated, a goofy grin on his face.

"Well, Ash, I guess this is goodbye for now," Misty began sadly.

"I guess so. Take care of yourself, Misty. Don't forget to keep in touch."

The pair embraced for a long time, as Dawn gawked. Then it was really time to say goodbye.

* * *

Ash, Dawn, and Brock slowly walked away from Lake Valor when they heard someone approaching. Turning around, they found themselves face to face with Misty.

"I forgot something," she stated, a huge blush making its way across her face. She then approached Ash and kissed him on the cheek.

* * *

A shocked but happy expression remained on Ash's face hours later. Dawn had been teasing him relentlessly, but he didn't care. It was worth it.

"Hey, Ash, I heard that Paul already got his badge from Crasher Wake. We'd better head there fast, or else you're going to fall way behind him," Dawn stated.

Ash simply stared ahead, a dreamy look on his face.

"Hello, earth to Ash!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry."

"Didn't you hear what I said about Paul?"

"What? Oh, yeah."

"Well, don't you care?"

"Hmm? No, not really." All Ash could think about was Misty and the feeling associated with her.

* * *

Misty made her way back towards Kanto, gently fingering the seashell necklace. Maybe there was hope after all.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, it's finally done. I'm sorry that it took so long for me to post this whole story. Thank you for sticking with me.

I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write with school in session and with this semester being exceptionally busy, but I do have some plot bunnies floating around in my head for a couple of one shots as well as a couple of chaptered fics. In fact, I just had a dream this morning that could make for a nice, long, juicy fic.

Thank you for your time. :)


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